Taking Care... of Life

by: Jaye Reid

Character(s): Josh, Donna
Pairing(s): Josh/Donna
Category(s): Romance
Rating: TEEN
Disclaimer: Owned by the brilliant Sorkin and WB. Not mine, never will be. I have no money, therefore I'm not worth suing. Borrowed for my own amusement.
Summary: "...the circumference of life cannot be rightly drawn until the center is set." Benjamin E. Mays (1895 - 1984)
Spoiler: Season 1 - 4
Author's Note: I started writing this waaaayyy long ago, and of course, cannon has taken widely different paths to the way I was headed. I do however like to include cannon in my work, so you will see, although the timeline of this story is 2 -3 years ahead of what we see on the show, I have woven a bit of cannon into my timeline. It's just a bit further down the track! I have the next story in the series already partly written and I know the exact direction it will be taking. It will be out in a much shorter time than this one compared to the previous. My sincere thanks to everyone who has emailed me privately, hassled me in JDchats for the next installment and to all those who voted "Taking Care..." as most Outstanding WIP & Series in this years Golden Coffee Cup awards. Last but not least my highest recognition to three amazing women. Baby D who endures my addiction and Aim and Bridget whose talents I live in awe.

Josh and Maya waved Donna off late the next morning. She promised to phone when she arrived back in Washington.

And so the weeks followed. Donna had to take more meetings after she met with Congressman Burrows and hadn't been able to return to New Jersey afterwards. She and Josh communicated via the phone on matters of state and their lives for several weeks. It was the longest time they had been separated, and they had not been prepared for the way they would feel the loss. Josh enjoyed advising her on questions she posed, and equally as proud of who she had become when she called and told him of things she had done without his intervention or suggestions. Leo also kept Josh informed of Donna's progress at the higher level and was impressed at her knowledge.

"She learnt from the best," Josh joked. "Sounds like you don't miss me at all."

"We always miss you Josh," Leo gruffed. "I don't have anyone to yell at."

"You can't yell at Sam?" he quizzed.

"Nah... not as much fun. So, how are you?"

"Better Leo. I'm back in Washington next week. I thought I could come in and you know, at least find out what's been happening while I've been away."

"Have you cleared it with Donna?" Leo quizzed.

"Well... not yet, but..."

"Clear it with Donna. She's carrying more pull around here these days Josh."

"Yeah, I know. I have to make an appointment to just speak with her during the day," he tried to sound jovial.

*****

Maya Lyman only needed a slight refresher course in the PT routine set out for Josh. Her years of nursing and Josh's previous recuperation quickly flooded back. It had been for this reason only, that Josh's surgeons had allowed him to stay away from the mainstream, hospital based physical therapy.

"Have you had enough yet?" his mother asked as he placed the weights back onto the floor.

"I'd had enough half an hour ago," he complained, "but you wouldn't let me stop."

His mother threw a towel at him. "But yet you were able to manage another half hour, Joshua. Look what you have achieved. What time did Donna say she would be here?" she questioned, heading back into the kitchen to check on dinner.

"She should be here soon. I actually thought she might have been here by now," he answered, following his mother into the kitchen as he wiped his face and neck with the towel.

"Well I'm sure if she was delayed she would have called," Maya replied, noting the concerned look on his face as he reached for the small bottle of painkillers.

"Yeah, I guess. Hey!" he exclaimed as his mother grabbed the pill bottle from his hands.

"You are not in real pain, Joshua."

"But..."

"Joshua, you have not needed to take one of those for two weeks now, and even then it was because you tried something you shouldn't have. Pain from your therapy does not qualify as pain for painkillers. It's a good pain. It's a 'you're getting stronger pain' it is not something you need these for. It will also go when Donna gets here. Do you think I want to see you get hooked on these like Leo did? Do you know how hard it was for him to get off these things? You're going to rattle for the rest of your life from all the other pills you are going to have to continue to take as it is. Do you want to add these to the list?"

"Yes Ma. I know. It just..."

"Go have a hot shower. It will make you feel better. And don't be too long because Donna might like some hot water left for a shower when she gets here," she instructed, pointing her finger at him.

"Yes Mom," he said, suitably chastised because he knew she was right.

****

Josh could hear his mother's and Donna's laughter floating up from downstairs as he stepped from the shower. But it was a third voice that surprised him. Quickly toweling dry and dressing he headed down.

"Sam, what are you doing here?" he questioned, entering the kitchen to find Sam and Donna sitting on stools at the bench whilst his mother leant back against the sink.

"Yeah, nice to see you too buddy," Sam snorted.

"No... I didn't mean... it's great to see you, but..."

"Donna has been working herself into the ground these past two weeks while we got HR 728 pushed through and I didn't like the idea of her making the drive by herself," Sam shrugged, explaining his presence.

"Sam... I'm not that bad," she tried to joke, but Josh could see the weariness in her features.

"So, you missed the turn off onto 55 and we had to detour via small back roads because?" he left his sentence unfinished for her to try and answer.

"I was taking the scenic route," she countered.

"Scenic route my..."

"Samuel..." Maya interrupted.

"Sorry. You were not taking the scenic route, you were so tired you missed the turn off," he suggested.

"Hey Donna," Josh said softly, resting a hand on her shoulder, their eyes finally connecting and the rest of the room disappeared.

"Hey yourself," she said with a smile, leaning her cheek down onto his hand.

"Drive okay?" he continued.

"I missed a turn off," she offered, going over the conversation they'd just had.

"Decided to take the scenic route, eh?"

"Yeah, something like that she smiled. I let Sam take over the driving from there."

"That's okay... you're here now. I missed you."

"When did you miss me the most?" she asked with a soft smile.

"All the time."

********

After dinner was eaten and the dishes cleaned up and put away, Maya excused herself to retire to her room to read. Josh made Sam and Donna coffee and herbal tea for himself. The doctors had suggested he cut back on his coffee intake, but knowing it would be almost impossible to ration himself without feeling deprived, he felt it would be easier to give it up completely.

If Leo could give up booze, he could give up coffee.

"So, what have I missed?" he questioned as they sat, Donna curling up next to him on the sofa. They had avoided 'work' talk at dinner.

Donna looked to Sam, who nodded. "It's not like he won't hear when he gets back," Sam stated.

"What?"

"Well... you know the great Toby plan with Andi and the gorgeous house he found in Maryland?"

"Well, yes and no. I don't know what the house looked like, but I did know about his plan," Josh frowned, wondering were this was leading as neither of his companions were smiling.

"Trust me, it's a beautiful house. I've seen pictures," she replied.

"Well anyway," Sam said, picking up the story. "He took her there this morning..."

"And she said no," Josh guessed, and they nodded the affirmative to his theory.

"Yeah. He's really cut up about it. Said she didn't want to marry him again and that was it."

"Poor guy. Is she going to let him see the kids when they're born?" Josh asked.

"I don't think she has a problem with any of that," Sam continued. "She just doesn't want to marry him, or you know, live under the one roof with him. Toby said the other day he would understand if this didn't work out. He said he wasn't the easiest person to live with and she already knew that. But he's obviously disappointed anyway."

"It's too bad," Josh shrugged, trying to hide a yawn.

"Tired?" Donna asked, reaching across and running her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, a bit. I should get as much sleep as I can," he joked. "After next week sleep will be a distant memory again."

"Not too quickly I hope," Donna chastised.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Josh asked the both of them, deciding misdirection was his best defense.

"Well... I've brought plenty of work with me," Sam responded. "I really need to get this speech finished and I didn't think you guys would want a third wheel."

"Forget the work, it will be there when you get back," Josh complained. "I was thinking we could go down to Cape May tomorrow."

Sam snorted. "The work might, but my job might not."

"It really has to be done?" Donna questioned.

"Afraid so," Sam nodded.

"Well... at least take over the study," Josh offered, stifling off another yawn.

"The view alone will drive me to distraction for half a day," Sam laughed.

"No, I think my mom's baking will distract you more if you stay," Josh disagreed, pointing towards the kitchen.

"I might turn in," Donna said, pushing herself out of the sofa. She knew there was no way Josh would go to bed whilst everyone else was still up.

"I could keep you company?" Josh offered with an impish enthusiasm. "I can do that."

"I couldn't imagine you being very good company," Sam scoffed.

"He's okay," Donna defended with a grin. "Am I still sleeping with you, Josh?"

"Sure, if you want. Close your mouth Sam and goodnight," Josh smirked without looking at Sam to confirm whether or not his mouth was agape.

"I never... I didn't say a thing Josh," Sam replied.

"Night Sam," Donna called. "Josh, are you coming upstairs?"

"In a minute. I've got to take a couple of pills," he said casually. It was something they all had to get used to. Donna nodded and headed up the stairs.

"What are the pills?" Sam questioned.

"Metoprolol. They're what's known as a beta-blocker. I've been told to take them as needed," Josh explained as he headed to the kitchen, filling a glass with water before emptying a tablet from a brown vial on the counter.

"And what do they do?" Sam continued to question, figuring the more he knew about his friends medical condition, the more he might be able to help in the case of an emergency. "Are you having chest pain?"

"No... no. They limit the heart rate. If you're going to increase your heart rate dramatically, then they recommend taking one of these first," he replied, taking the pill and washing it down with the water chaser as he walked back into the lounge.

"But you're going to bed. How is that going to increase your... ohhh... okay," Sam nodded, finally adding two and two together. "But I thought you and Donna weren't..."

"I know. We haven't, but we might... if she's... we might... and I would just prefer to be prepared in case we do, you know," Josh faltered, deciding this really wasn't the conversation to be having, even with Sam. It was beginning to rival the conversation he had weeks earlier with his mother.

"Okay well... I have no reason to go upstairs at all since I'm in the guestroom downstairs... I think I might just go do some writing then," Sam added, appearing to be just as uncomfortable with the turn in the conversation.

"I'm just gonna... 'night buddy," Josh grinned heading for the stairs.

"Night."

*

"Finally I have you alone," Josh sighed as he closed the door behind him.

"You've wanted to get me alone?" Donna replied in her best, staged seductive voice that made both of them laugh.

"Yeah," he continued to chuckle. I went shopping with Mom the other day and I bought you a present. I wanted to give it to you."

"What, you couldn't give it to me when we were downstairs?" she questioned, kicking off her shoes before unzipping the overnight bag sitting on the bed.

"No... I didn't want to. And do you think I could get some attention here, hmm?"

Donna turned to him and rolled her eyes at his exasperated expression. She stopped rifling through her bag and sat on the bed, giving him her full attention. "You're starting to sound like your mother. Did you realize that? This isn't going to be like the moose meat again is it? I mean what is New Jersey most famous for?"

"Will you just shut up for half a minute? Here," he stated, handing over the package.

"What is it?" she asked, just looking at it.

"Well if you'd damn well open it you'd find out," he countered.

"Okay... okay. Keep you're pants on," she groused as she tried to find the edge of the tape on the wrapping.

Josh bit back an innuendo filled reply and chose instead to sit on the bed beside her whilst she slowly unwrapped the gift.

"If you don't like it I want it back rather than you selling it on Ebay," he deadpanned.

"You know that wasn't me," she complained, ripping off one layer of paper to find another. "What is this? Have you spend the past 5 weeks wrapping a packet of chewing gum with 2000 layers of paper?"

"Just quit the complaining and keep going. There's only another layer I think."

Donna kept unwrapping until she came to an unmarked white box.

"Open it." Josh encouraged.

"Okay..." she smiled, flipping the lid open, only to find yet another box surrounded by scrunched up tissue paper. "Josh?"

"Mmm yes?"

"There's another box inside the box."

"Yes."

"And it's a very small box."

"It appears so."

"And... it's the sort of box that jewelry is usually found in."

"Well, I guess you'll just have to open it and find out if that's what's inside," he smirked.

"I... I don't know if I can."

"Oh," the word was laced with disappointment.

"Ohh... no... not like that... I want to but..." she stumbled, her eyes welling with tears as she spoke.

"Donna, open the box," Josh whispered.

"Okay," she replied shakily. She removed the box and forced the stiff hinges to open. "Oh... it's beautiful. It's... just beautiful," she said softly running one finger over the brilliant cut diamond.

"Well you're supposed to wear it rather than just look at it in the box," he groused softly, taking the box from her hands and removing the ring. "Here, give me your finger."

Donna held out her hand and Josh had to hold it steady from shaking as he gently slid the ring on her finger, having to push it slightly to get it over her knuckle.

"There. Now you're stuck with me," he joked.

She scoffed softly. "I think I've always been stuck with you."

"True... very true," he agreed before turning serious. "Donna... I... come to bed with me."

"Well we're in here aren't we," she said with a smile before leaning over and kissing him soundly on the mouth. "I was looking for my pajamas when you came in."

"I don't want you in pajamas... I don't want you in anything. I want to make love with you. I want to now, and I don't want us to have to ever think about stopping. I can't pretend... I can't have you lying next to me anymore and not be able to show you how much I love you."

"Josh... you've had major surgery and..."

"Donna, if you don't want to, just say so. If you're tired or you want to wait... then I guess we wait. But if you want to, it's okay. I'm feeling okay and I've already taken my pills, you know... just in case you wanted to," he explained in a rush. He knew the pills had side effects and one of them was lethargy. He wasn't sure how they would kick in if they did this.

"Josh... I want to... I'm just a little scared," she said softly.

"I promise I'll be gentle," Josh smirked.

Donna rolled her eyes again. "Not like that you moron. I'm... are you sure you're ready?"

"Donna, I don't know what you assumed, but I'm sorry... I'm not a virgin."

"Josh! You are impossible, you know that!"

"But in some twist of fate you love me anyway," he chuckled.

"Yes I do, but..."

"Look, I promise," he said solemnly, holding up one hand. "If I feel any twinges or pain I'll tell you and we can stop."

Donna put her hand up and laced her fingers with his. "And I can always think of other things we can do."

"Can we do the other things as well anyway?" he questioned suggestively wiggling his eyebrows.

"You think you're capable?" Donna asked with a laugh.

"Hmm... you'll be surprised by the extent of my capabilities."

"Well you better show me," she replied, reaching over and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Sounds like a plan, Donna."

"Sounds more like a promise to me."

***

Waking naked and in Josh's arms the next morning felt like the most natural thing Donna had ever done. She ran a hand through the hair on his chest, mindful of the still angry looking scar tracking down it. Thankfully the surgeon's traced their original line and Josh would still only have the one surgical scar rather than something that resembled railway tracks. As she pressed a kiss into his shoulder, a hand reached up and stroked her cheek gently.

"Morning," came the sleepy voice.

"Yeah, I think it is," she replied. She could see light creeping into the room from around the drapes, but she wasn't at all interested in moving from her current position to look at the clock beside the bed.

"Let's stay in bed all day," he mumbled, trying to pull Donna closer.

"As good as that sounds, I don't think that is an option while we're here," Donna sighed.

Josh rolled back on his side to glance at the clock. He pulled Donna with him rather than surrender her. "Urgh!"

"What?"

"If we're going down to Cape May for lunch, we better get moving. It's already after ten," he sighed.

"We've slept half the morning," she replied.

"That's because we spent half the night making love," he smirked his trademark 'I'm so the man' grin before kissing her.

"Well come on Casanova... time to move!"

***

Josh found some sweats and stumbled, still fairly disheveled, down the stairs for some breakfast whilst Donna had a shower. His new regime of pills meant he was now forced to eat breakfast, as taking most of them on an empty stomach was not recommended. After his post-op check-up he was hoping to cut back on half the medication he was taking.

Josh showered whilst Donna drank coffee, marveling to Sam how Josh seemed to have give up the brown murky liquid without any noticeable side effects. She mused that his mother had perhaps suffered through the withdrawal period, and wondered if he was going to manage to keep off the caffeine when he returned to work. Sam, for his part, expressed great surprise at Josh's ability to select Donna's engagement ring, noting it must have cost the price of a small nation before Maya admitted that she had supervised the shopping trip.

Josh and Donna spent a lazy afternoon in Cape May. Lunching at 'The Waters Edge' restaurant, Donna was still surprised that Josh seemed to be finally heeding the advice he'd been ignoring for so long about his diet. When he ordered the grilled chicken sandwich instead of the Taverns own half-pound burger she held back a comment and decided to support him by ordering their reportedly famous veggie sandwich. After lunch they wandered hand in hand through various souvenir shops and little antique markets, enjoying the anonymity they weren't privy to in Washington.

Afternoon showers made them flee back to the car, and they found a place to park and watch the ocean roll into the shore while they talked about everything and nothing.

"You know we're fogging up the windows just sitting in here talking," Josh smirked. "We could, you know, have a better reason for fogging them up."

"We could also turn the engine on and run the heater and the defogger for a little while to fix that problem," she smiled back.

"My idea was more fun," he offered.

"I have an idea that beats both of them," she replied, turning the key to start the engine.

"And that would be?"

"Going back to Stone Harbor and watching the ocean from there. It would be more comfortable and there would be coffee and by now, warm cookies," she grinned.

"Well, I agree wholeheartedly with the comfort factor but I'm steering clear of coffee and limiting my cookie intake," he replied, fastening his seatbelt.

"You're really serious about this monitored diet aren't you? You're not going to have a blow out the first week back at work? I know you're way too used to grabbing food on the run and not heeding much attention to it's nutritional content."

"You know Donna, you freakishly sounded like Margaret with all that talk about nutrition... can you not do that please?"

"I'm just trying to be encouraging."

"You are, and you always have been. Turn down this street. I just have to give a bit more thought at the beginning of the day to where I am when I need to eat. The pills I have to take at the moment all require food so I'll probably need help organizing my schedule to suit. Next street to the right. Once I'm off most of them, the pills I will *continue* to take will probably need to be with food too."

"Firstly, you'll need to give it more thought at the beginning of the *week* rather than of the day... and you will *definitely* need by help scheduling it. How far along here before I need to turn again?"

"I dunno. About 2 mile."

"Okay. So, from now on lunch meetings I organize for you will not revolve around places where suitable food is not available."

"Since when have you *ever* organized lunch meetings where I didn't have to eat food you deemed healthy?"

"I've let you out to play once in a while for a treat," she grinned.

"You make me sound like a 3 year old."

Donna gave him a pointed look.

"I am not," he whined.

She gave him another look, and he re-evaluated his statement.

"Okay, sometimes - when provoked I might add - oh... next intersection up here..."

"Left or right, Joshua?"

"Left. Anyway, as I was saying, sometimes when I'm provoked..."

"What like Senator McCluskey?"

"That was different," Josh defended.

"Oh well then... what about Congresswoman..."

"So was that," he interrupted.

Donna snorted. "You don't even know who I was going to say! Callahan. I was going to say Congresswoman Callahan from the Minnesota tw..."

"I knew you were talking about her and that was different. That woman just... just..."

"Didn't agree with you?" Donna suggested.

"Yeah. There should be a law against Democrats who don't agree with me."

"Well see if Toby has time to deal with that one when he's finally abolished Congress," she laughed.

"How's he going with that by the way?"

"Still no luck. It seems Congress like their jobs and are not keen on joining the unemployment queue."

"So anyway, those people where different."

"Yes, and you didn't see the inside of the steak house for quite sometime after those incidents, did you?"

"I ah... you..."

"See... behave like a good boy and you get to go out for treats!" she smiled.

"You, Donna Moss, are just plain mean sometimes," he sighed and shook his head.

"Would you want me any different?"

"No."

**

On arrival back at the house, they took up residence once again on the outdoor lounge. It was still tucked into a sheltered corner of the deck. Josh didn't admit to her that he had gone out there often in the weeks after she left, for no other reason than to remember how good it had felt to be curled up in her arms. To have listened to Donna tell his mother how much she wanted to have children with him.

"What do you want me to do about this?" Donna questioned, untucking her arm from under the blankets and holding up the hand with her engagement ring.

"It's up to you Donna," he shrugged. "It's a symbol of my love. But if you're not wearing it, well... it doesn't change the fact I love you."

"It's just that... it's a beautiful ring and Sam was right this morning, it must have set you back a fortune. Those two facts will not go unnoticed by others within the White House. Questions will be asked, suggestions made and past experience has shown, we really don't have to *do* anything and lies are told about us anyway."

"Donna if you..."

"I want to wear the ring! I really want to, but if by wearing it, your job is harder...."

"Donna... I don't want to tell you what to do. If my job is harder, well then my job is harder."

"Perhaps..."

"Perhaps what?" he asked as she shifted molded her body closer into his.

"Perhaps if I wear it on a chain around my neck. I mean, I'm still wearing it," she suggested.

"If you feel more comfortable, then by all means," he offered evenly.

"I wouldn't, but..." she protested.

Josh could see she was torn. "Look... wear it around your neck on a chain. If later you want to put it back on your finger then do so."

"You won't be upset?"

"Donna..."

"Okay, you won't be upset," Donna smiled and snuggled even closer.

Josh wrapped his arms around her and kissed her mussed hair. "Love you," he whispered.

"Love you too," she replied.

***

The next morning they waved goodbye to Maya who was staying at the house for a few more weeks before returning to her home in Florida. My mid afternoon they arrived back in Washington, dropping Sam at his brownstone before heading to Josh's apartment.

"Do you want to stay tonight?" he asked as they put away all his clothes.

"As much as I would like, I have a breakfast meeting and staying in bed with you would be far too tempting," she grinned.

"Well, you know... it's going to happen. There are going to be mornings where the last thing we are going to want to do is get out of bed and go to the White House," he stated, and then looked shocked when he realized what he had said.

"Yeah..." Donna exclaimed almost breathlessly when she too realized what he had said and noted the surprise on his face. "Now there's a statement I never thought I'd hear pass your lips."

"I know... even through the bad stuff, I've never not wanted to be there. But... but you know... I think it will happen," he continued, still surprised by these thoughts.

"See. See this is why we've resisted. Maybe..."

"No. Don't take it back Donna. Don't even suggest that we shouldn't have, because we have and I know for absolute certain it wasn't a mistake for us," he declared, shaking his head.

Donna could see Josh was working himself up and it was the last thing she wanted. "No Josh... it wasn't a mistake," she said trying to give him her brightest smile. She rounded the bed to where he stood and wrapped her arms around him. "Ominia vincit amor."

Josh's forehead creased in a frown. "You know you've spent way too much time in the company of the President."

"Love conquers all things. And the President didn't teach me that one. It's something I've always known," she smiled. "One year, ten months and 15 days, not that I'm counting of course."

"You're truly an amazing woman Donna Moss."

"And you're becoming a sap! I'm going to leave you to get ready for tomorrow. I'm sure the President's attack dog is around here somewhere."

"You don't want to stay for dinner?" he asked hopefully.

"I'd love to," she said smoothing down the creases on his shirt as she stepped back, "but I have to prepare for my meeting in the morning."

"Okay, well... thank you. You know for everything for coming to get me," he offered with a hint of disappointment.

"Josh, please don't be disappointed. I'm not the meek girl who would let someone control her life anymore. She disappeared when you took a chance on me all those years ago. I can't just drop everything, I won't. And I don't think that's the kind of woman you want in your life."

"I just want you as you. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to guilt you. You should go and prepare for your meeting. I'm going to see if I can find any food in this place," he grinned.

"Your refrigerator is restocked, I love you and I don't want to see you in the office before 10 in the morning," she laughed, kissed him and then headed for the door.

"I have a feeling the President has issued an order that they will not let me in unless it's 10:00 am or later," laughed, walking her to the door.

"Will you be okay tonight?" she asked seriously after she had pulled her coat and gloves on.

"You doubt my ability to..." he stopped when he saw how serious she was and he abandoned his smart mouth remark. "I'll be fine Donna. I'm assuming the food in the refrigerator is healthy, I'll have an early night and if something happens - which it won't - I have all the emergency numbers plus you and Sam on speed dial."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You'll call me in the morning? Like you always do?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes. Bye," she said with a soft smile and kissed him gently.

"Mmm... see you later," he said with an equally happy grin as their lips parted.

Josh stood at his window and sighed as he watched her walk down the street to her car and disappear out of view. Tomorrow everything would be back to normal.

Whatever normal was.

But he was wrong...

The end...

Stay tuned for Taking Care... of the Future.

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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